Short answer
Peppol is an international network with shared rules that lets invoicing and accounting software send e-invoices directly to each other. You don’t log in anywhere or install anything: you connect through a Peppol service provider, in practice your invoicing software, and your customer does the same. Peppol has been the default route for invoices between Belgian businesses since 1 January 2026; in the Netherlands it is mainly used for government invoices.
More customers ask for invoices through Peppol, especially Belgian businesses and Dutch government bodies. This guide is for freelancers and small businesses in the Netherlands and Belgium who want to know what Peppol is, how an invoice travels over the network, what it costs and how to start.
What is Peppol?
Peppol is a digital infrastructure with a set of agreements that lets governments and businesses exchange electronic purchasing documents such as e-invoices, credit notes and orders. It is used in dozens of countries, in and outside Europe.
OpenPeppol, a non-profit association under Belgian law founded in 2012, manages the network internationally. In each country a Peppol Authority supervises the rules and the service providers: the Dutch Peppol Authority (NPa) under the Ministry of the Interior in the Netherlands, and FPS BOSA in Belgium.
Peppol is not a program, app or portal. It is the route between your software and your customer’s, much like the network behind email: you choose a provider, and that provider can reach everyone on the network.
How does Peppol work? The four-corner model
Peppol uses four parties, known as the four-corner model. You and your customer are the outer corners; your service providers, also called access points, sit in between. You don’t need the same software or provider as your customer.
- You create the invoice in your invoicing software (corner 1).
- Your service provider looks up your customer’s Peppol ID in the network’s central address book, which points to the provider that receives your customer’s invoices (corner 2).
- Your customer’s provider receives the invoice and checks it against the rules (corner 3).
- Your customer’s software reads the invoice automatically, without retyping (corner 4).
Your Peppol ID: a digital postal address
Your Peppol ID is built from a number you already have. A Belgian business uses 0208 plus its enterprise number, for example 0208:0308357159. A Dutch business usually uses 0106 plus its KVK number, for example 0106:12345678, or 9944 plus its VAT ID.
What is a Peppol invoice?
A Peppol invoice is an e-invoice: not a formatted document, but an XML file in the Peppol BIS Billing 3.0 format. That format follows the European standard EN 16931 and uses the UBL syntax. Every detail, such as the invoice number, VAT per rate and your IBAN, sits in a fixed field.
A PDF sent by email is therefore not a Peppol invoice, even though it is digital. If you receive a UBL file and want to see what is in it, open it as a readable invoice in our UBL viewer.
Do you need Peppol in the Netherlands or Belgium?
| Situation | What applies? |
|---|---|
| Between Belgian VAT-registered businesses | Structured e-invoices are mandatory since 1 January 2026, by default through Peppol. A PDF no longer counts. |
| Between Dutch businesses | Not mandatory. An e-invoice is allowed if your customer agrees. The Dutch cabinet plans an obligation from 1 July 2030; that is a proposal, not law. |
| Dutch central government | An e-invoice is required, usually through Peppol. A PDF does not count. |
What does Peppol cost?
You don’t take out a subscription for the network itself. What you pay depends on your invoicing software or service provider; the Dutch Peppol Authority notes that prices differ per package. The Belgian government offers no free tool of its own, but says costs can be zero when e-invoicing is included in your accounting package or bank account.
When you compare offers, look beyond the monthly price:
- whether you pay per invoice or a flat fee;
- whether receiving is included, not just sending;
- whether there is a limit on the number of invoices;
- whether registering your company number is taken care of.
How to start with Peppol
- Look up your own company number in a Peppol lookup. You may already be registered through earlier software, your bank or your accountant.
- Choose invoicing software that both sends and receives Peppol invoices.
- Have your company number registered through that software, or move an existing registration with a migration code.
- Look up your customer and send your first Peppol invoice.
Send Peppol invoices with Factuur Simpel
In Factuur Simpel you create an invoice in a few minutes and send it through Peppol. You register with your company or VAT number, and Peppol invoices you receive arrive with your expenses as a readable PDF. Peppol is part of the Complete plan, with no per-invoice fee and no accounting package needed.
The 30-day free trial includes Peppol. The app works in English; invoice PDFs use Dutch labels.
Frequently asked questions
Is Peppol software I need to install?
No. Peppol is a network with shared rules, not software. You use it through invoicing or accounting software that connects to the network via a service provider. Your customer does not need the same software.
Can I connect to Peppol myself?
Not directly. Connecting and registering always goes through a Peppol service provider, also called an access point. In practice your invoicing software handles it. Becoming a service provider yourself requires accreditation within Peppol and is meant for software companies.
What is the difference between Peppol and e-invoicing?
E-invoicing means sending invoices as structured data that software reads automatically. Peppol is the network those e-invoices usually travel over. Belgium uses Peppol as the default route for invoices between businesses, and the Dutch central government uses it for supplier invoices.
Is Peppol free?
The network does not charge you a subscription, but your provider or invoicing software may. Prices differ per provider, and the Belgian government offers no free tool of its own. Check for per-invoice fees and whether receiving is included.
Send your first Peppol invoice without accounting software
Create your invoice in a few minutes and send it through Peppol, with no per-invoice fee. Try Factuur Simpel free for 30 days.
Free trial. Choose a paid subscription afterward.